GUILDERLAND – The town spent $831,942 on overtime in 2012, a decrease of about $47,000 from 2011.

Town officials said that decrease was largely due to 2012's mild weather — a lack of snow helped the highway department slash its overtime spending nearly in half and the water department saved close to $20,000 because fewer water main breaks were caused by freezing temperatures.

Some of the town's most significant 2012 overtime hours were logged in emergency services departments: The police department paid $457,537 in overtime, while dispatch paid $113,713 and paramedics were paid $87,168. Police department overtime increased by about $31,500 from 2011. Runion said that was due to having to make up the hours for injured police officers as well as an officer on military leave in the Middle East.

The top 10 overtime earners in 2012 were members of the police force. The top earner was Officer Michael Minette, who earned an additional $40,658 on top of a salary of $83,028, for total earnings of $123,686.

Runion said the town has been carefully monitoring overtime spending, which must be approved by town department heads. He said the police department's overtime hours are tracked especially closely, making sure that officers take personal days and vacation time in a way that does not require other officers to work extra hours.

"We have been closely monitoring it," he said. "Especially the police department, that's where your overtime can fluctuate greatly."